精校书屋

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第29部分（第2页）

He　told　them。

〃Why　are　you　not　with　your　regiment？〃

He　told　them。

〃Do　you　not　know　that　an　officer　should　be　with　his　troops？〃　He　did。

That　was　all。　Another　officer　spoke。

〃It　is　you　and　such　as　you　that　have　let　the　barbarians　onto　the　sacred　soil　of　the　fatherland。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　the　lieutenant…colonel。

〃It　is　because　of　treachery　such　as　yours　that　we　have　lost　the　fruits　of　victory。〃

〃Have　you　ever　been　in　a　retreat？〃　the　lieutenant…colonel　asked。

〃Italy　should　never　retreat。〃

We　stood　there　in　the　rain　and　listened　to　this。　We　were　facing　the　officers　and　the　prisoner　stood　in　front　and　a　little　to　one　side　of　us。

〃If　you　are　going　to　shoot　me；〃　the　lieutenant…colonel　said；　〃please　shoot　me　at　once　without　further　questioning。　The　questioning　is　stupid。〃　He　made　the　sign　of　the　cross。　The　officers　spoke　together。　One　wrote　something　on　a　pad　of　paper。

〃Abandoned　his　troops；　ordered　to　be　shot；〃　he　said。

Two　carabinieri　took　the　lieutenant…colonel　to　the　river　bank。　He　walked　in　the　rain；　an　old　man　with　his　hat　off；　a　carabinieri　on　either　side。　I　did　not　watch　them　shoot　him　but　I　heard　the　shots。　They　were　questioning　some　one　else。　This　officer　too　was　separated　from　his　troops。　He　was　not　allowed　to　make　an　explanation。　He　cried　when　they　read　the　sentence　from　the　pad　of　paper；　and　they　were　questioning　another　when　they　shot　him。　They　made　a　point　of　being　intent　on　questioning　the　next　man　while　the　man　who　had　been　questioned　before　was　being　shot。　In　this　way　there　was　obviously　nothing　they　could　do　about　it。　I　did　not　know　whether　I　should　wait　to　be　questioned　or　make　a　break　now。　I　was　obviously　a　German　in　Italian　uniform。　I　saw　how　their　minds　worked；　if　they　had　minds　and　if　they　worked。　They　were　all　young　men　and　they　were　saving　their　country。　The　second　army　was　being　re…formed　beyond　the　Tagliamento。　They　were　executing　officers　of　the　rank　of　major　and　above　who　were　separated　from　their　troops。　They　were　also　dealing　summarily　with　German　agitators　in　Italian　uniform。　They　wore　steel　helmets。　Only　two　of　us　had　steel　helmets。　Some　of　the　carabinieri　had　them。　The　other　carabinieri　wore　the　wide　hat。　Airplanes　we　called　them。　We　stood　in　the　rain　and　were　taken　out　one　at　a　time　to　be　questioned　and　shot。　So　far　they　had　shot　every　one　they　had　questioned。　The　questioners　had　that　beautiful　detachment　and　devotion　to　stern　justice　of　men　dealing　in　death　without　being　in　any　danger　of　it。　They　were　questioning　a　full　colonel　of　a　line　regiment。　Three　more　officers　had　just　been　put　in　with　us。

〃Where　was　his　regiment？〃

I　looked　at　the　carabinieri。　They　were　looking　at　the　newers。　The　others　were　looking　at　the　colonel。　I　ducked　down；　pushed　between　two　men；　and　ran　for　the　river；　my　head　down。　I　tripped　at　the　edge　and　went　in　with　a　splash。　The　water　was　very　cold　and　I　stayed　under　as　long　as　I　could。　I　could　feel　the　current　swirl　me　and　I　stayed　under　until　I　thought　I　could　never　e　up。　The　minute　I　came　up　I　took　a　breath　and　went　down　again。　It　was　easy　to　stay　under　with　so　much　clothing　and　my　boots。　When　I　came　up　the　second　time　I　saw　a　piece　of　timber　ahead　of　me　and　reached　it　and　held　on　with　one　hand。　I　kept　my　head　behind　it　and　did　not　even　look　over　it。　I　did　not　want　to　see　the　bank。　There　were　shots　when　I　ran　and　shots　when　I　came　up　the　first　time。　I　heard　them　when　I　was　almost　above　water。　There　were　no　shots　now。　The　piece　of　timber　swung　in　the　current　and　I　held　it　with　one　hand。　I　looked　at　the　bank。　It　seemed　to　be　going　by　very　fast。　There　was　much　wood　in　the　stream。　The　water　was　very　cold。　We　passed　the　brush　of　an　island　above　the　water。　I　held　onto　the　timber　with　both　hands　and　let　it　take　me　along。　The　shore　was　out　of　sight　now。

31

You　do　not　know　how　long　you　are　in　a　river　when　the　current　moves　swiftly。　It　seems　a　long　time　and　it　may　be　very　short。　The　water　was　cold　and　in　flood　and　many　things　passed　that　had　been　floated　off　the　banks　when　the　river　rose。　I　was　lucky　to　have　a　heavy　timber　to　hold　on　to；　and　I　lay　in　the　icy　water　with　my　chin　on　the　wood；　holding　as　easily　as　I　could　with　both　hands。　I　was　afraid　of　cramps　and　I　hoped　we　would　move　toward　the　shore。　We　went　down　the　river　in　a　long　curve。　It　was　beginning　to　be　light　enough　so　I　could　see　the　bushes　along　the　shore…line。　There　was　a　brush　island　ahead　and　the　current　moved　toward　the　shore。　I　wondered　if　I　should　take　off　my　boots　and　clothes　and　try　to　swim　ashore；　but　decided　not　to。　I　had　never　thought　of　anything　but　that　I　would　reach　the　shore　some　way；　and　I　would　be　in　a　bad　position　if　I　landed　barefoot。　I　had　to　get　to　Mestre　some　way。

I　watched　the　shore　e　close；　then　swing　away；　then　e　closer　again。　We　were　floating　more　slowly。　The　shore　was　very　close　now。　I　could　see　twigs　on　the　willow　bush。　The　timber　swung　slowly　so　that　the　bank　was　behind　me　and　I　knew　we　were　in　an　eddy。　We　went　slowly　around。　As　I　saw　the　bank　again；　very　close　now；　I　tried　holding　with　one　arm　and　kicking　and　swimming　the　timber　toward　the　bank　with　the　other；　but　I　did　not　bring　it　any　closer。　I　was　afraid　we　would　move　out　of　the　eddy　and；　holding　with　one　hand；　I　drew　up　my　feet　so　they　were　against　the　side　of　the　timber　and　shoved　hard　toward　the　bank。　I　could　see　the　brush；　but　even　with　my　momentum　and　swimming　as　hard　as　I　could；　the　current　was　taking　me　away。　I　thought　then　I　would　drown　because　of　my　boots；　but　I　thrashed　and　fought　through　the　water；　and　when　I　looked　up　the　bank　was　ing　toward　me；　and　I　kept　thrashing　and　swimming　in　a　heavy…footed　panic　until　I　reached　it。　I　hung　to　the　willow　branch　and　did　not　have　strength　to　pull　myself　up　but　I　knew　I　would　not　drown　now。　It　had　never　occurred　to　me　on　the　timber　that　I　might　drown。　I　felt　hollow　and　sick　in　my　stomach　and　chest　from　the　effort；　and　I　held　to　the　branches　and　waited。　When　the　sick　feeling　was　gone　I　pulled　into　the　willow　bushes　and　rested　again；　my　arms　around　some　brush；　holding　tight　with　my　hands　to　the　branches。　Then　I　crawled　out；　pushed　on　through　the　willows　and　onto　the　bank。　It　was　halfdaylight　and　I　saw　no　one。　I　lay　flat　on　the　bank　and　heard　the　river　and　the　rain。

After　a　while　I　got　up　and　started　along　the　bank。　I　knew　there　was　no　bridge　across　the　river　until　Latisana。　I　thought　I　might　be　opposite　San　Vito。　I　began　to　think　out　what　I　should　do。　Ahead　there　was　a　ditch　running　into　the　river。　I　went　toward　it。　So　far　I　had　seen　no　one　and　I　sat　down　by　some　bushes　along　the　bank　of　the　ditch　and　took　off　my　shoes　and　emptied　them　of　water。　I　took　off　my　coat；　took　my　wallet　with　my　papers　and　my　money　all　wet　in　it　out　of　the　inside　pocket　and　then　wrung　the　coat　out。　I　took　off　my　trousers　and　wrung　them　too；　then　my　shirt　and　under　clothing。　I　slapped　and　rubbed　myself　and　then　dressed　again。　I　had　lost　my　cap。

Before　I　put　on　my　coat　I　cut　the　cloth　stars　off　my　sleeves　and　put　them　in　the　inside　pocket　with　my　money。　My　money　was　wet　but　was　all　right。　I　counted　it。　There　were　three　thousand　and　some　lire。　My　clothes　felt　wet　and　clammy　and　I　slapped　my　arms　to　keep　the

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